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The Fourth Dimension (company)

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This article is about the video game publisher. For other uses, see Fourth dimension (disambiguation).

The Fourth Dimension (4D) was a major video game publisher for the BBC Micro, Acorn Electron, Acorn Archimedes and RiscPC between 1989 and 1998. Previously, The Fourth Dimension had been known as Impact Software, which specialised mainly in BBC Micro games. Some of 4D's staff had worked for Superior Software. Notable release included Cyber Chess, Stunt Racer 2000, Galactic Dan and Chocks Away.[1]

History

In 1989, The Fourth Dimension was founded by brothers Mark and Steve Botterill in Sheffield. Originally it was called Impact Software. It released software for Acorn's 8-bit and 32-bit computer ranges.[2][3]

Following the demise of Acorn and the subsequent contraction of the RISC OS games market, The Fourth Dimension brand and rights to the software back-catalogue was acquired by CJE Micro's.

In 2002, the publisher backed a scheme subsidising the cost of hardware for developers.[4][5]

In 2004, CJE Micro's sold the rights to the software to APDL, the Archimedes Public Domain Library.[1]

Market focus

Although the Archimedes market was relatively small, it had a fast 32-bit RISC processor with a slim accelerated pipeline that encouraged fast graphics operations. Certain of 4D's games anticipate the 3D, first-person viewpoint style of graphics that was becoming popular on the much larger PC market at the same time. For example, E-type is a car racing game; Chocks Away is an air combat game with a two-player dogfight mode; and Galactic Dan[6] is a primitive 1992 FPS with a pre-Wolfenstein 3D graphics style, combining a 3D Maze look with ray-traced sprites.

List of published games

  • Real McCoy 1 - Arcade Soccer, Quazer, U.I.M and White Magic (1990)
  • Real McCoy 2 - Apocalypse, Holed Out!, Inertia and The Olympics (1991)
  • Real McCoy 3 - Drop Ship, Nevryon, Powerband and The Wimp Game.
  • Real McCoy 4 - Cataclysm, Galactic Dan, Grievous Bodily 'ARM and X-Fire.
  • Real McCoy 5 - Anti-Grav, Chopper Force, Demon's Lair and Pandora's Box.
  • Real McCoy 6 - Bloodlust, Carnage Inc., Silverball and Technodream.

References

  1. ^ a b Williams, Chris (2004-07-27). "We own 4thD, admits APDL". Drobe. Retrieved 2011-06-13. [...] officially confirmed yesterday, APDL have bought The Fourth Dimension range of games from CJE. [...] Stunt Racer 2000, Galactic Dan, Chocks Away and others — the real games that The Fourth Dimension were famous for.
  2. ^ "Retro Inspection: Acorn Electron". Now Gamer. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  3. ^ https://markhardisty.wordpress.com/2016/02/04/a-brief-history-of-sheffield-game-development-companies/
  4. ^ Williams, Chris (2002-08-03). "Programming in the Fourth Dimension". Drobe. Retrieved 2011-06-13. [...] CJE Micro's has relaunched its "RISC OS Programming Initiative". [...] This time, it's under their acquired Fourth Dimension label [...]
  5. ^ Goodwin, Richard (2002-08-03). "CJE RISC OS Programmers Initiative is back!". The Icon Bar. One Point Nought. Retrieved 2011-06-13. [...] 'CJE RPI' [...] The Fourth Dimension (A sister company to CJE Micro's) has now secured enough computers to restart this scheme [...]
  6. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUD3vrkcsNE
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